Chapter 112: Until Then
I gasped as I saw Z let his body fall out of the room. What floor is this place on? How could he just jump like that?
"Are you alright?" Night kneeled in front of me, asking that with a worried tone. "Noelle?" I was taken aback when he called my name.
It was the first time Night Yamaguchi called my name with such an endearing tone.
"I-I’m fin—"
Night immediately pulled my arm, surprising me and cutting me off. "This. Did he do this?" That’s when I noticed that my arm was wounded and it’s been bleeding.
"Fuck." I heard Night curse aloud as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. Even though I know that he’s obsessed with cleanliness, he still touched my bleeding arm and used his white handkerchief.
"I apologize." Why would he apologize? "It was my mistake. I shouldn’t have left you alone like that."
Stop.
I balled my fists. "Stop it already." He looked at my face after I said that.
"Stop acting as if you care about me. I won’t fall for it." I sighed. Even though I know already, even though I am well aware that this is all an act to hurt me. Deep inside, I am still hoping that he would really care, and that sucks.
"I care about you." Night looked into my eyes. "I... felt like I was dying." I was taken aback after seeing a tear escape from his eye.
’W-What? Is he crying?’ That is what I thought, but I also asked myself: What if he’s only acting?
"I don’t want to lose you too."
Too?
"I’ve been mean and said hurtful words." Night said. "I don’t want you to become part of this organization, it’ll only hurt you. I already know that, and I still hurt you in the process."
Is he making things up? There’s no way that cold and snob Night would say such things. Maybe he just wanted me to go back with him because grandpa Kenta will punish him if I don’t.
"I hated you, I hated it that you chose to become a part of the Yamaguchi-gumi." He said. "I hated it that you have the chance to leave after you’re done being protected. I envied you, I hated everything about you. I hate the fact that you are free while I am stuck with responsibilities I didn’t want to have."
The way he said those words, felt genuine. It’s as if... he’s been hurting.
"I wanted to be with you. But I know you should be with someone else." I felt his grip on my hand tighten.
"When I saw you with that blonde man, I felt this excruciating pain inside my chest. I hated it. I wanted to pull you away from him and keep you to myself. But you’re not mine, you’re not an object I can claim for myself."
I gulped as I felt dumbfounded by how Night kept talking nonstop. "D-Didn’t you said not to get ahead of myself because you hate me?"
"I said I hated you because you’re willing to throw the freedom you have. Are you even listening?" Ugh, the way he’s nagging at me like that makes me feel like he’s back to that normal Night. The easily annoyed and perfectionist Night.
"But that’s not the point. The point is..."
"The point is?"
Night sighed. "You are dear to me." He said making my forehead crease. Dear? Like what? "But since you’re stupid enough to get confused, what I said means I love you.." Night added making me hit him on the arm.
"Why would you call me stupid!?"
Night sighed. "Because you are. You’ll start acting as if nothing happened and I didn’t confess." He said. How did he know? And why would I believe him?
"It was hard for me when you went missing. I searched the whole amusement park for you but were not there. It felt like I wanted to kill someone due to frustration."
"T-That’s scary."
"But I didn’t. I controlled myself."
If he wasn’t able to control himself, would he have done it, though?
"I know you wouldn’t like that. I don’t want to do anything you don’t like anymore."
Night looked at my hand. "I want to prove myself to you." He said as he placed my hand on his cheek with a tear falling again.
"I can’t lose you."
His tone and those words made me want to cry. Even though I know nothing about what Night went through, I could feel the sincerity in his voice. He’s not the type of person to say such sweet things, but he’s also not the type to act like someone he’s not either.
"Do you really like me?"
He stared into my eyes while still having my hand on his cheek. "You’re the only one left for me." What does that mean? What about Tomoe?
"Then... what about Tomoe?"
Silence followed that. ’See? He couldn’t answer because he still has feelings for Tomoe.’ I thought as I smiled.
"You don’t have to answer, I already—"
"Young master! Young lady!" The door opened with lots of people coming inside. "Young lady! Your arm!" It was Kenji, he quickly approached us and helped me stand up.
"You have a wound; shall I help the lady?"
I didn’t want to face Night after asking something so embarrassing. "Young master, shall we go after the man?" I heard Kenji ask Night while holding onto me.
"No." I felt Night swoop me off my feet and carried me in his arms. "Let’s go home." He said while looking forward.
I gulped as I could feel my heartbeat getting faster and louder.
’I hope he won’t hear it.’
Tomoe’s still the girl in his heart, I can’t replace her that easily. I’m too tired to the point that I didn’t bother complaining about how Night’s carrying me, and instead, I closed my eyes as I trusted them to protect me from harm.
’Till we meet again, huh?’
"Young miss!"
Rika greeted me with tearful eyes and a flushed face. She rushed to me while sobbing. "Young miss." Her sobs started getting louder as Night let me walk on my own.
"Noelle." I looked at the door and saw Shiho. "Y-You’re really back, right?" She said with tearful eyes too.
’I didn’t know I will receive a such warm welcome.’
I walked towards Shiho and pulled her into a hug. "Yes, I am back." Shiho started sobbing like a child as she hugged me back.
Why do I feel relieved hearing Shiho cry like a child in front of me? Even though I don’t want her to experience such a painful experience.
"I was so scared." She said.
That’s until Night pulled me away from his younger sister. "Noelle needs to rest." He said. "You too, you haven’t slept yet."
What? Shiho didn’t sleep? Why... why am I so weak and keep troubling other people like this?
"Let’s talk again later." I patted Shiho’s shoulder as I followed Night inside the mansion.
"The oyabun wanted to talk." He said.
I know that already, all the members are outside so I already know that grandpa Kenta’s waiting for my return. Is he going to scold me? When Night and I arrived in front of grandpa Kenta’s room, Night glanced at me. "It’s fine." He said as he reached out to my trembling hands. "The oyabun won’t say anything bad to you."
Night opened the door while holding my hand and we entered. "My dear." I saw grandpa Kenta’s face brighten the moment he saw me. "I’m so glad you’re okay." He said as he sighed in relief.
"I’m sorry for causing trouble, grandpa."
"You don’t have to worry about that, my dear." Grandpa Kenta said as he approached me. "I just want to ask what the kidnapper did to you. Did they do something bad? Were you hurt?"
I shook my head. "They... I mean, he told me what he wanted."
"What is it?"
I turned to Night as his grip on my hand tightened. "I-It’s the ring my father gave me." I took a deep breath. "He said he needed it and it belongs to him. If I give it to him, he’ll stop chasing after me."
"Don’t give it to him." Night said making me look at him with my eyebrows furrowed.
"If I give him what he wants, then I’ll be free, and so do you." You’ll be free from me and all these responsibilities. "He said it’s the only thing he needs, and the—"
I almost spouted that my father accumulated the yakuza’s gold. What if they learned of that and started branding my father a thief? That would be bad... wouldn’t it?
’But Z also said that the Yamaguchi-gumi already got it back. Is that really the truth, though? What if it’s a trap?’
"Do not believe that person’s words." Grandpa Kenta said as he went and sat back in his seat. "A man from a mafia group like him shouldn’t be trusted." Isn’t he a man from a mafia group too? "Keep the ring hidden, it might become important in the future."
That’s the last thing grandpa Kenta told me before he made me leave and wanted to talk to Night alone.
I hope he wouldn’t scold Night because of what happened. It was my fault that I got caught by Z, and Night was just trying to take care of me. When he told me to stay in front of that store with lots of people, I should have stayed.
